Dear Cousin
by Cactus Wren
Summary: Prequel to Revelation: Yeesha writes to her father's best friend, detailing the routine of her day, what she does, and what she thinks about. Contemporary and period versions!
1. Original version

Tomahna

20 Leebro, 9482

Dear Cousin,

I hope you don't mind that I call you Cousin! You haven't visited us in so long, I miss you. Sometimes I feel like calling you Cousin brings us closer together. And I think that except for Mom you're the best friend Dad has in the world.

Anyway, Daddy says he's inviting you to visit, so I'll be seeing you soon. He's sending you an image recorder so I hope you'll take lots of pictures while you're here.

You asked me how things are in Tomahna and how I spend my time. Usually I try to get up about the time it's getting light. Lately I've been climbing up on the natural bridge east of Dad's work shop and watching the sun rise. I have a long pannaramic picture of the horizon on the East and every few days I mark on it where the sun first appears and the date. I do the same for the sunset when I remember to, but sometimes I'm busy and forget until it's too late.

I just looked that word up. It's panoramic. Sorry.

Then I come down and wash and get dressed. Mom says I'm not old enough yet for long skirts. I don't mind because I can do some things more easily in a divided short skirt.

Breakfast is usually bread and fruit or whatever is left from the night before and the morning hot cup. Dad likes his hot cup sweet and Mom always wants to know how he can stand sweet things first thing in the morning. I put milk in mine and sometimes a little honey.

The morning is for hard work, before it gets hot. Dad and Mom are putting a new bathing room alongside the guest chamber, so when you come you will have a private bath! I help them some, but I have a project of my own which I am working on. Dad helped me to put a glass window along one bank of the northern pool (below the waterfall) and a platform from the top of it extending back 3 or 4 meters. The window is anchored in the earth at each end. Now I'm excevating the earth from behind it. It's very hard work. The platform will have soil and plants on top so it will look like a part of the bank. There is a tunnel to crawl into from several meters away. When I am finished there will be an observation space big enough for 2 people. It will be like having a window right into the water so I can observe the fish from their own level without disturbing them. I hope it works.

Around midday whoever gets hungry first (usually me!) goes to find something for lunch. I like to cook some noodles in broth or pick something in the garden and make sallet. Whoever gets there first leaves some out for the next person to arrive. If Dad is busy or concentrating he forgets about lunch so sometimes Mom or I will take him a roll or a piece of fruit. He says lunch is hap hazzard and I think that's what he means. Or he will come in and say Did you find anything for lunch? and if I say Yes he will have some of it too.

After that it is hot and we do quieter things. Right now Mom thinks I'm studying, and I will as soon as I finish this letter. She is in her garden. I think Dad is mending a shirt.

No. I can see them on the porch of their room. They are not standing together. They are talking very quiet. Now Mother has gone into their room and Dad to his work shop.

My cousin Anna's parents shout at each other when they are mad. Sometimes I wish my parents would shout at each other. At least it would be honest and they would not have to pretend they are not argueing and I would not have to pretend I don't know they are.

I respect their privicy and they respect mine. So they don't read my journal and I know they will not read this letter. But I think I will put a seal on it before I give it to Dad.

Anyway! Late in the afternoon there is time for rest and a bath. I have my own bathing room now (Mom told Dad I was old enough to need one) but usually we go to the pools. Water from the hot spring mixes with water from the stream so there are warm pools and cool ones. Also in the stream there is a long channel with slippery moss which is fun for sliding. I can even get Daddy to do it sometimes although persuading him is extrordinaraly hard. Mom teases him and says it does not befit his paternel dignity. Then usually they slide down together.

After that is dinner. Dad is a very good cook when he pays attention. Mom and me have learned not to let him pick up a book or a pen while he's supposed to be cooking! That is how pans get ruined! He is teaching me how to make bread. Mom always says her bread is never good enough. She says it's because she grew up in a place that did not have grain crops. I think her bread is good but different from his. He also keeps a pot of soup cooking all the time in the oven so it won't burn. Every day he puts different things in it so it always changes, but it is very good.

Sometimes Mom goes to the end of the lakes with her fish hooks and a net. She is always gone for a day or two and then comes back with fish. When there's fish she always cooks it although she's teaching me how. Dad never cooks fish. He says it's for the same reason Mom usually doesn't make bread. Mom says it's because he doesn't like to touch wet fish.

You said in your letter to tell you what books I need that you might have. Can you bring me an English dictionary bigger than the one I have? I want to look up some words. Right now I want to look up squeemish.

Washing up after dinner is always my job. If a pot is burned I make whoever burned it help me! Then there are night tasks like taking care of the plants. After that I study a little more and Dad writes his journal, but mostly we relax and do fun things. He is teaching me to play chess. I am not very good. Mother is teaching me three-tables, with dice and without. Sometimes we sing. Dad can't sing at all but he likes to listen and he has a dulsamer and is teaching himself to play it. He is very bad at it.

Sometimes we go up to the telescope in his work shop and he shows me stars. Or we walk out into the desert. He has a fire marble in a red glass that does not ruin your dark adaption. His eyes always dark adapt quicker than mine, he says it's because he has more D'ni heritige.

My brother asked me if I was proud of being D'ni. Or ashamed of being part D'ni and part surface person and part Rivenese. I had to think about it but I decided I'm not proud and not unproud. I'm taller than my cousin Anna although she's older than me. I'm not proud of that or ashamed of it. It's just the way things are. I hope that makes sense! I'm not sure my brother understood it. I told him think about this, Daddy is so short sighted, without his spectacles he can't see my gecko even when it's right across the room. You see better than he can without spectacles. You're glad of it but it would be stupid to be proud of it.

He is calling me and telling me to finish this letter so he can put it in with his. So I will not get to copy it over. It's long! I'm sorry if the spelling is bad. I hope you will be able to come and see us. Daddy wants to see you a lot. Please do come soon.

Your loving cousin, (sort of cousin),

Yeesha


	2. Alternate version

(Author's note: Many fans are, let's put it this way, less than one hundred percent enthusiastic about the use of language in _Myst IV: Revelation._ I for one would have preferred to hear speech patterns more like those of the previous games to be blunt, every time I hear Yeesha say "Cool!" I want to stick knitting needles in my ears.

(The original version of this piece is written in the contemporary-colloquial style heard in the game. For the sake of completeness, I offer here an alternate version in a style more characteristic of the early nineteenth century and of Atrus's family. I'd love to know which is preferred.)

* * *

Tomahna 

20 Libro, 9482

My dear Cousin,

I hope you don't mind that I call you Cousin. It's been so long since your last visit, I miss you greatly, and I cannot but feel that calling you Cousin brings us closer together. And I believe that save for my dear Mother, you're the closest friend my Father has. He tells me that he bids you come and visit us soon, so I hope to see you before long. He sends you an image recorder. It's my hope that you will take many pictures while you're here.

In your letter you ask me how things are in Tomahna and how I spend my time. Usually I try to get up near to daybreak. Lately I've been climbing up on the natural bridge east of Father's work shop and watching the Sun rise. I have a long pannaramic picture of the horizon on the East which Dadda has drawn for me, and every few days I mark on it where the sun first appears and the date. I do the same for the Sunset when I remember to, but sometimes in my haste I forget until it's too late.

I have just looked that word up and the right spelling is panoramic. Sorry.

Then I come down and wash and get dressed. Mima says I may not wear long skirts as she does for some years yet. I don't mind this because there are many things more easily done in a divided short skirt.

Usually we break our fast on bread and fruit or whatever is left from the night before and the morning hot cup. Dadda likes his hot cup sweet and Mother wants every day to know how he can stomach sweet things early in the morning. I put milk to mine, and sometimes a little honey.

The forenoon is for hard work, before the heat of the day. Dadda and Mima are a building a new bathing room alongside the guest Chamber, so when you come you will have a private bath! I help them as I can and may, but I have a project of my own which I am working on. At my sugestion and with my help my Father built a glass window along one bank of the northern pool, below the water fall, and atop it a platform which extends 3 or 4 yards back. The window is well anchored in the earth at each end, and now I daily work at digging the earth from behind it, a tiring task but I assured my Father I would finish it myself, and after I shall place earth and plants atop so that it looks to be a part of the bank. There is a tunnel to creep into from some distance away, and when it is done there will be a chamber big enough for 2 people to sit in some comfort. It will be like having a window looking into the water so I can observe the fish from their own level without disturbing them. I hope it works as I mean it to.

Around midday whoever gets hungry first (and that is usually me) goes to find something for luncheon. I like to cook some noodles in broth or pick something in the garden and make a sallet. Whoever is first to come leaves some out for the next person to arrive. If Dadda is busy or concentrating he forgets about a noon meal so sometimes Mother or I will take him a roll or a piece of fruit. He says luncheon is hap hazzard and I think that's what he means. Or he will come in and say Did you find any thing for lunch? and if I say Yes he will take a little himself.

After that the day is hot and we do things less tiring. Right now Mima believes I'm at my studies, and I will take them up as soon as I finish this letter. She is in her garden. I think Dadda is mending a shirt.

No. I can see them in the porch of their bedchamber. They are not standing together. They are talking very quiet. Now Mother has gone into their chamber and Father to his work shop.

My cousin Anna's parents shout at one another when they are angry. Sometimes I wish my parents would shout at one another. At least it would be honest and they would not have to pretend that they are not argueing and I would not have to pretend not to know that they are.

I respect their privicy and they respect mine. So they don't read my journal and I know they will not read this letter. But I think I will put a seal on it before I give it to Dadda.

To continue with my day. Late in the afternoon there is time for rest and a bath. Mother has lately bade Father make me a bathing room for myself, but usually we go to the pools. Water from the hot spring mixes with water from the stream so there are warm pools and cool ones. Also in the stream there is a long channel with slippery moss which is very pleasant for sliding. I can even get Dadda to do it sometimes although persuading him is extrordinaraly difficult. Mima teases him and says it does not befit his paternel dignity and then usually they slide down together.

After that we have our dinner. Dadda is a very good cook when he pays attention. Mother and me have learned never to let him put hand to book or pen while he's cooking, for that is how white pans turn black. He is teaching me to make bread. Mother never is satisfied with bread of her own making. She says she grew up in a place where there were no grain crops. I think her bread is good but quite different to his. He keeps also a pot of soup cooking all the time in the oven so it won't burn. Every day he puts different things in it so it is never twice the same, but it is very good.

Sometimes Mother goes to the end of the lakes with her fish hooks and a net. She is always gone for a day or two and then comes back with fish. When there's fish she always has the cooking of it although she's teaching me how it's done. Dadda never cooks fish. He says it's for the same reason Mima rarely makes bread. Mima says it's because he does not care to touch wet fish.

In your letter you bid me tell you what books I need that you might have. Can you bring me a Dictionary of English? I want to look up some words not in the Dictionary I have already. Right now I want to look up squeemish.

The washing up after dinner is always my job, save that if a pot be burnt, the scrubbing belongs to whoever had the burning. Then there are such night tasks as tending to the plants. After that I have a little more study and Dadda writes his journal, but for the most part there is time for pleasure and quiet. He is teaching me Chess although I fear I am little good at it. Mother is teaching me Three-tables, with dice and without, and sometimes we sing. Dadda has no voice for song but likes to listen, and he has a dulsamer and is teaching himself to play. He plays as yet very poorly.

Sometimes we go up to the telescope in his work shop and he shows me Stars, or we walk out into the desert. He has a fire marble in a red glass that leaves the eyes clear for night vision. His eyes always grow clear in the dark more quickly than mine, this he says is because he has the greater D'ni heritige.

My brother asked me if I took pride in being D'ni, or shame in being a mixing of D'ni and your own folk and Rivenese. I gave it thought and decided I took no pride nor shame. I'm taller than my cousin Anna although she's the older of us. I'm not proud of that nor ashamed of it, for it's nothing either of us has done, things just are so. Is there sense to this? I'm not certain my brother understood it. I told him to give this thought, our Father is so short sighted, without his spectacles he can't see my gecko even when it's right across the room. You see better than Father can without spectacles. You're glad of it but would be foolish to take pride in it. What doing is it of yours?

Dadda bids me finish this letter quickly so it can go in with his own. So I have not the time to correct it and make a fair copy. It's grown longer than I intended. I'm sorry if the spelling is poor. I hope you are able to come and visit us. Dadda wants badly to speak with you. Please do come soon.

Your loving cousin, (of a sort),

Yeesha


End file.
